scripture
Matthew 20:17 Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” 22 “You don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.
25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
observation
Power struggles are always happening, from the cradle to the grave there is a struggle for power and we are always asking: who is in charge, who is the best, why are you telling me what to do?
Jesus had just told them that he was going to be tortured and killed and then the mother of Zebedee’s boys is asking for her kids to be given a top position in Jesus kingdom. If you were a part of a group whose leader was going to be tortured and killed, would you be very happy that your mom was asking for you to be at the top of his organization? She is probably up in heaven right now saying, “Man, why did I ask that question?”
Jesus submitted to the will of the Father to come to the earth and die for us. He prayed in the garden “not my will but yours” and he told his disciples one day “my food is to do the will of the Father.” (Matthew 26:39, John 4:34)
But then God has given all authority in heaven and earth to Jesus and placed all things under his feet. (Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 1:22)
application
We are to become like Christ, he gave us the best example to show us how to be a servant. I need to say to Jesus everyday “not my will but yours”
prayer
Show me today and everyday how to serve you and to do so with humility, I don’t need any special recognition for being “Your man on Your mission.”
